Date Night
by VicTheButcher
Summary: Ed gets ready for a night on the town with dear Winry. Just a nice, light, fluffy one-shot to get me back in the swing of things. EdxWin, of course.
1. Chapter 1

It was an unusually snowy February in Central City. Sure, it was winter time, but the downtown streets were reminding Ed of the Briggs mountains, minus the Drachman invaders and titanic homunculi. Luckily this time he was only watching the snowfall from a window in the warm confines of his brownstone in the heart of Central, instead of a craggy rampart atop a frozen fortress.

Leaning up against the wall, he pulled at his tie impatiently. Damnable thing, it never looked straight. Not when he looked down at it. Not when he fiddled with it in the mirror. It simply did NOT want to submit to his will. On top of that, it was restrictive...Ed made a point to always wear loose fitting, comfortable clothes in case he needed to move quickly. A quirk he'd retained from his adventuring days just a few years prior to this snowy night.

Any other day he'd refuse to even go near the two-piece suit, but he'd been advised by his army friends that a suit was to women what lingerie was to men. If that was true, well...

"I'd better be getting lucky tonight. God DAMN it." Ed mumbled, pulling his hair -still slightly damp from his shower- over his shoulder and braiding it. As he wove the soft strands into a thick rope, he made an impatient noise at the closed bathroom door.

"C'mon already, Winry! We're going to miss our reservation!"

"Hold your horses, Ed! Just because YOU get ready fast doesn't mean I do!"

Ed snorted, then replied "You can say that again. It'll be Easter by the time you're done..." But this was only grumbled, as he'd learned not to piss the blonde off on date night. After the first time he'd done so, Ed realized a silent dinner and a cold shoulder all the way home wasn't the night he'd want it to be.

Striding over to the mirror, Ed appraised his reflection once more. He yanked at his lapels, straightened the accursed tie again for the hundredth time. At least he'd found one in his trademark shade of red...grinning, Ed remembered the shout of triumph he'd let loose in the tailor upon seeing the fabric swatch for it.

Ed took in his lean but muscular frame. His shoulders looked wider in the jacket, and the golden-colored buttons set his eyes and hair off just like he'd been told by the kind old tailor. The young man decided he cleaned up pretty damn well. He scratched at his cheek as he smirked at his reflection.

The raspy sound his short-trimmed nails made against his stubble made him curse. He'd forgotten to shave. Damn it.

And Winry was still in the bathroom. DAMN IT.

"Hey!" Ed knocked brusquely on the door. "I forgot to shave!"

"I didn't!" Came the reply in a decidedly flirtatious tone of voice. Ed's mind was momentarily distracted by thoughts of smooth, soft legs.

"Winry! Come on!" The last word was stretched out in a whining, comical fashion.

"Ed! You're worse than a little kid!" Winry laughed. "Fine! But you have to close your eyes! You can't see me until I'm ready!"

"FINE! Let's just hurry up! We're going to be LATE!" Replied Ed.

"Are your eyes closed?" Her voice was closer to the door now.

"They are now!" He lied. Defiant as always was Ed.

"Ed I swear if your eyes are open I'm going to beat you to death with my wrench." A testy reply. Winry never failed to match Ed's defiance.

"You can't seriously have that thing in there with you!" A small pause, a skeptical and slightly fearing look came over his face. "...right?"

"Do you want to find out?" Giggled Winry. Ed sighed and closed his eyes, impatiently tapping his foot but wearing a small bemused smile nonetheless.

"No! They're closed, alright?"

"Promise?"

"WINRY!"

She burst out laughing. "Okay! Okay! I'm coming out!" Ed fought the urge to peek through his lashes at her. The shower had stopped ten minutes ago, and Ed's mind buzzed at the concept of the state of undress his lovely girlfriend may or may not be in. The door creaked open, and he felt the warm air flood out of the bathroom. Ed sensed Winry as she moved close to him, imagined the soft smirk on her lips as he felt the soft tap of a warm, probably metal object on his forehead.

Who the hell took a wrench into the bathroom when they showered? Answer: His Winry.

She must've been standing a hair's breadth away from him, as he felt the warmth radiating from her skin, drank deep of her scent. The sweet but not cloying scent of her apple shampoo, the feminine aroma of her perfume. Also, Ed somehow caught the whiff of automail oil. He once read an article detailing how your brain can associate certain smells with others, so he supposed his mind was supplying the sharp smell that was missing from the already intoxicating bouquet.

Soft, warm hands grasped his lapels and pulled him down slightly. Teeth pulled gently at his bottom lip, which was then sucked slightly into Winry's soft mouth. Ed's hands came around to the small of her back as the kiss deepened.

Winry broke the kiss, eliciting a small grunt of irritation from Ed. She chuckled, her soft breath breezing across Ed's neck. He knew she was smiling wickedly as she guided his flesh hand down to her backside. The rough but delicate feeling of lace greeted Ed's fingers before they found soft, warm skin. He grinned openly as he cupped her round bottom, and Winry's tinkling laugh sounded, catching a bit with a hint of desire.

"Hey, Ed?" She whispered huskily, breathing over his throat.

"Mmm?" Ed grunted back.

"We're gonna be late for dinner!" She shoved him into the bathroom and closed the door just as he opened his eyes, catching a sinful grin and a length of blonde hair in the shrinking gap.

"You'll pay for that, you know that right?" Growled the young man as he rubbed his eyes with one hand and reaching for his shaving kit with the other.

"I better." She purred back.

Ed grinned as he stepped to the sink, mixing some shaving cream in his bowl and brushing it on. Skillfully honing his straight razor on his strop, he looked forward to the night ahead. A nice dinner at the ritziest place in Central was sure to make it a night to remember, and he anticipated Winry thanking him in many, MANY ways. From a soft smile to a heated kiss, Winry always made sure to let Ed know he was appreciated.

Ed swiped the razor through the thicket of foam and golden stubble. He kept himself clean shaven, avoiding looking anymore like Van Hohenheim than he already did...having long since forgiven his father, Ed still didn't like being compared to him. Unfortunately, Al and Granny knew that, and needled him relentlessly about it.

Once his face was baby smooth, Ed slapped on some aftershave and started for the door. Catching himself, he realized he'd better not walk out before his date was ready.

"Hey! Can I come out?" Ed could hear Winry humming along to the radio from behind the door. The memory of her spinning and humming in time to the music in the living room of their house in Resembool warmed his heart. He called out again.

"Yep! I'm ready!"

Ed opened the door. Sitting cross legged in the bed was Winry. She wore an azure blue dress, a few streaks of like color sequins catching the light. The dress was cut daringly low up top and short at the bottom hem. Her feet were wrapped in sequined, straps high heels that matched her dress and eyes perfectly. To top it all off, her hair was put up in an complicated and elegant fashion, gold transmuted into swirls and curls with the help of a few (hundred) bobby pins.

If Ed was a man competent with words and flowery statements, he'd tell her she looked like an angel fallen to earth, swaddled in sky and light.

Of course, Ed was NOT competent with words, nor was he skilled in hyperbole, flatter, or any of the other "romantic arts" that Mustang had tried to explain to him endlessly. Therefore, his words to her were a bit less eloquent.

"Wow, y-you...Win, you look-wow." The words tumbled from Ed's mouth wantonly, and he cursed his fumble-tongue.

Winry's laugh came graciously, but she couldn't help but poke at his embarrassment. "Close your mouth, Ed, or you'll drool all over your suit." Truly, Winry thought Ed looked like sex on legs wearing his suit, but she wouldn't tell him that. It didn't help his already inflated ego to compliment him much...but Winry knew that she'd tell him later that night, probably while they were both panting and naked.

Ed rolled his shoulders, as if to shake off the view that had suddenly overwhelmed his senses. Offering his hand to her, he grinned.

"C'mon. We're already late...I'll have to bully the poor maitre'd to keep our reservation." Though he smiled, betraying his gruff words.

Smiling back, Winry took his hand.

(A/N What? Vic is back from hiatus?! That I am. This is a one-shot, but I'd be willing to write a follow-up if anyone was interested. Anyways, reviews are always appreciated...they're like free candy to us writers.

Enjoy! I promise to write more often, too.)


	2. Chapter 2

Tiny snowflakes dance in the starry sky above Central City. Just as the beautiful people whirl through the ballroom of Le Bistro À Central, so too do the tiny specks of white.

As the crystals kiss the glass skylight of the dining room above the most prestigious eatery in all of Central City, they stick fast, providing a distilled and ethereal frame for the scene playing out at the table nearest to the fireplace.

A young couple. The man on one knee, the woman seated. Her azure eyes fall on her lover as he takes her by the hand, speaking clear and true as the diamond sparkling in the box he pulls from his coat pocket.

Her, all gentility and grace, he, all grinning teeth and expectant eyes.

The man at the table next to theirs thinks to himself that they'd make a fine couple, as his wife reaches across the table and slides her aged hand into his, smiling softly.

The busboy passing by with his bin full of dishes eyes the shiny ring as the top of the small satin box is lifted, jaded expression painted over his countenance. He mutters how that rock would pay a year's rent for him.

The waiter across the aisle stops his recitation of memorized specials, as his audience waits with bated breath for the young woman's answer.

The entire dining room bursts into applause as she drops down into the man's arms, shouting her confirmation over and over.

The box falls from his hands as his arms wrap around her, pulling her close. He kisses her temple, whispers into her ear.

Outside, a different commotion breaks the stillness of the bitterly cold night. A young man shouts his lungs out while being dragged backwards by his tie, held in the strong hands of his date that evening. His feet stutter a bit, as he fights (fruitlessly, he knows) against her unstoppable force.

A half-hour later, Ed curses, slamming his hands on the steering wheel of his stubborn car.

"Goddamn thing is seized up. Fucking snow..."

He leans his head against the headrest, closing his eyes.

"I'm sorry tonight's been so awful, Win." He apologizes. "Missed our reservation. Almost killed the waiter. My piece of shit car is stalled."

"And my heel broke." Winry pointed out, motioning towards the now useless shoe in the backseat.

"Thanks for the reassurance." The vitriol leaks from his lips before he can restrain it. Sarcasm being one of his many natural talents, it was hard to reel it in sometimes.

"Well, maybe if you had shaved EARLIER, we wouldn't have had to run from the car to the restaurant so we didn't miss the reservation! Which we did anyway!" Winry seethes back, meeting his biting words with fire of her own.

"Well, MAYBE if you didn't need two hours to get ready I COULD have shaved earlier!" Ed's eyes open, and his head lifts from the headrest. His voice animated now, he leans his face towards Winry.

"Well, I'm SORRY I wanted to look nice for my MORON of a boyfriend!" She's leaning forward as well, meeting him word for word.

"You don't need TWO DAMN HOURS to do that, Winry! How much good could two hours do anyways?!"

"What, are you saying two hours isn't enough to make me look good?!" She's shouting now. Though the topic may be new, the volume of this argument wasn't.

Ed's eyes goggle for a second as he back pedals furiously. "N-no! I mean, yes! Dammit! I mean you don't need to take that long! You look fine!"

"I wanted to look more than fine, you idiot! Tonight was supposed to be special!" They're nose to nose now, the car windows steam from their shouted breaths.

"You always look more than fine, and don't call me an idiot, nerd!"

"Dork!"

"Grease-monkey!"

"Pipsqueak!"

"I'm taller than you are, you un-cute hag!"

"The maitre d' was taller!"

"Then go on a date with HIM! Maybe HE can get you a table!"

A pause here, enough for a few quickened heart beats. Enough for the details and implications of that statement to sink in.

Winry sits back in her seat, crosses her arms. "Nope. His teeth were all crooked." She sniffs, turning her head up and away from Ed aloof lay.

Ed mirrors her. "Yeah. And his name was Jackson. Who names their kid Jackson?" Ed peers out of the corner of his eyes at her, gauging her reaction. When she chuckles a little, he grins.

"I dunno, Ed...I think Jackson is a cute name for a little boy." Winry turns her head back towards him, smiling brightly.

"Ohhhhh no! No child of mine will be named Jackson!" Laughs the former alchemist as he yanks at his tie.

Winry slaps at his hand, eyeing him severely before cracking a grin again. "Maybe I wasn't talking about you, Eddo." She grasps his tie, leaning in for a kiss. "Maybe I was talking about Jackson Senior?" Her breath ghosts along his lips as they gaze deeply into each other's eyes. "Maaaaybe..."

Ed cuts her off, lightly gripping her chin with his hand. Pressing his lips to hers, he can feel her grin through the smooch. "Don't even think about it. I worked too damn hard to get back to you."

Her radiant smile damn near lights the inside of the car. Ed can feel his stomach grumbling, and Winry can hear it. She kisses his chin once, then gathers her coat around herself and opens the door.

"C'mon, you sap. I saw a hotdog cart down the road, and you still owe me dinner."

Fifteen minutes later, the couple walk down the snowy street. They talk animatedly, holding hands and eating their hotdogs. Winry smiles in gratitude as Ed swipes at a bit of ketchup at the corner of her lip, and he yelps as she dabs a bit of the red stuff on the tip of his nose.

Running a few steps ahead in Ed's extra pair of shoes (luckily he keeps an old pair in the trunk), Winry's laugh echoes down the street as it echoes in Ed's soul. He laughs, running after her.

Suddenly, Ed's reflexes kick in and his head jerks to the side, barely dodging something whizzing past him. Dropping to one knee, Ed's pupils dilate and the adrenaline courses through his veins. Reaching for the knife hidden in his boot, Ed readies himself for a potential attack...

Before noting Winry's location a dozen or so feet ahead. Already stooping over for a second snowball, she stops and states at Ed's battle-ready stance.

"Ed?" She asks inquisitively, cocking her head a bit to the side. "You alright?"

"...yeah. Yeah, sorry. Old habits...die hard." Chuckles Ed as he wipes the snow from his pant legs before suddenly scooping a handful of snow and whipping it back at his girlfriend.

"Ed! Ooooh, you're gonna GET it!" Squeals Winry as she swipes the snow from her coat. "I kicked your ass when we were kids and it snowed, I can do it again!"

"Come and get it, nerd!" The laughing man shouts back, beckoning with both hands. "I'm right here!"

Instead of whirling another ball of ice at Ed's head, Winry sprints at him, trying to bowl him over with a flying tackle. Unfortunately, she slips on a patch of ice right before her take-off, causing Ed to dive forward and catch her right before she hits the hard, icy pavement.

"My hero!" Winry swoons in a mocking voice.

"Tch. Shoulda let your ass fall!" Ed grumbled, rolling his eyes. He stands up, grasping Winry's hand and pulling her up with him. His hands travel to the small of her back, one of her arms slings around his neck.

"If you'd done that, I'd have a big bruise on this ass you love so much!" She winks at him, pulling lightly on his braid.

"Ahhhh. Touchė." One hand slips from her back to her curvy bottom, cupping it firmly.

"Bad..." Winry whispers with a seductive smile.

"So?" Ed whispers back, leaning in for a kiss.

As their lips touch, Winry suddenly jerks back, bringing the hand full of snow that she hid behind her back right into Ed's face.

"So you need to be punished!" The vixen cackles, running down the street and casting a glance back at Ed that practically screams "come get me!"

Ed grins. It was a good date, despite the early inconveniences.

Tiny snowflakes dance in the starry sky above Central City. Just as a happy couple chase each other through the frost-kissed streets, so too do the tiny specks


End file.
